Page 12 - ADT SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2022 Online Magazine

provide a considerable advance over the PL-8.
The new radome also points to upgrades to the
aircraft’s radar, with speculation that an Active
Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar could  SHIPBUILDING
have been incorporated, allowing use of the
PL-15 Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile
(BVRAAM).

INDIAN NAVY’S MILESTONE

Prime Minister Narendra Modi commissioned
India’s first indigenously built aircraft carrier INS
Vikrant in September, entering India entry into
an exclusive club of nations that can build and
operate their own flattops. Vikrant is the largest
ship ever been built in India and cost Rs200 bil-
lion. The construction of India’s first indigenous
aircraft carrier was its most ambitious warship
project and unprecedented in terms of size and
complexity in comparison to any ship (both
commercial and defence) built in India till date.
the PLAN. While the Liaoning and Shandong can carry 24 and 36 INS Vikrant was designed by the Indian Navy’s
Shenyang J-15 ‘Flying Shark’ carrier-borne fighters (the Chinese in-house Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and
derivative of the Su-33) respectively; the larger Fujian is expected built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), a state-
to carry a significantly larger air compliment. The PLAN’s J-15s are owned shipyard. CSL is presently constructing
China’s sole carrier-based air combat aircraft and the first squadron eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water
was established in 2013. Craft (ASWSWC) and it has also won an order
for the construction of six Next Generation
China also revealed an upgraded version of the J-15 carrier-borne Missile Vessels (NGMV) from the Indian Navy.
fighter jet in late 2021. Shenyang Aircraft Co, a Chinese state-owned The shipyard is also augmenting its infrastruc-
airframer under the Aviation Industry Corp of China, had published ture including a new dry dock to cater for the
photos on its social media account in December 2021. One of the construction of even larger ships including the
photos, showed a J-15 fighter jet taxiing on a runway under the Indian Navy’s next generation aircraft carrier.
assistance of a tug truck. The upgraded J-15 have been mod-
ernised receiving an upgraded radar, IRST, updated missile pylons INS Vikrant will have a full displacement of
and strengthened wings. Judging from the images released, the approximately 43,000 tonnes. The Short Take-
new J-15 uses a new type of wingtip pylon, which is the same as Off but Arrested Landing (STOBAR) carrier is 262m
that on the J-16, allowing it to carry China’s most advanced short- long and 62m wide and is equipped with a ski-
range combat missile, the PL-10, while the previous version could only jump for launching aircraft, with a set of ‘arrester
launch the older PL-8. The highly manoeuvrable PL-10 is thought to wires’ for their recovery onboard. The carrier is

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